Logan s Run

Maybe some Dodger fans were expecting more than what Logan Forsythe has brought to the team this year.  After all, they traded TOP Prospect Jose De Leon for him.  In the interest of full disclosure, if they had known how good Chris Taylor would be, they might not have done it… but they did… because they didn’t!

At the end of the year, he has a team option of $8.5 million, or the Dodgers can buy him out for just $1 million.  Some of you think that is an easy choice: pay the million and let him walk. I say, Don’t be so quick to make that determination.  There’s a lot of baseball to be played, but if the season ended today, I very well might just pay Logan that $8.5 million.  2017 may not be the end of Logan’s Run as a Dodger.

Logan Forsythe hit 20 HR in 2016 after hitting 17 in 2015, but the key thing is that he had a .359 OB% and an .804 OPS in 2015.  He dropped slightly in 2016 to .333 OB% and a .778 OPS in 2016,  and after being injured for quite some time this year, his power numbers are off and his batting average is .237, but his OB% is .357, which is 5th on the team (a team with some pretty good players in case you hadn’t noticed) and his defense is Gold Glove Caliber.  By all accounts, Chris Taylor should be a good 2B too, but I am not sure if he is of Logan’s caliber.  I do know that Chris Taylor has a good arm and is making himself into a very, very good outfielder!

One other thing, Logan Forsythe is  dirtball and a junkyard dog, and like Chase Utley, he is revered in the clubhouse.  He also plays the game the way it is supposed to be played and he plays it hard!  However, players have good and bad seasons. Ben Zobrist, whom some compare with Logan Forsythe had a fine year last year for the Chicago Cubs, but this year is hitting .219 with a .307 OB%.  It happens and remember… there is still a lot of baseball to be played.

Did I mention that Logan Forsythe is one hell of a second-baseman?  If Turner, Seager, Forsythe and Bellinger are not the best defensive infield in baseball, I don’t know who is.  Think about it?  Who is better?  BTW, Cody Bellinger is the best defensive 1B in baseball. PERIOD! While I am at it: Yu Darvish was with one of the worst pitch-framers in baseball (Lucroy).  How much better will he be with Barnes and Grandal, who are among the best?

But I digress, Logan Forsythe is our 2B with a little help from old man Utley (who was really maligned after his bad start – Shame on you, and don’t you forget it) 2B is a very solid position for the Dodgers. There’s a lot of baseball to be played, but Logan Forsythe is not a problem.  Let’s see what happens the rest of the year, but I think you are going to like Logan Forsythe a lot!

This team is incredible and Logan Forsythe is part of that:  he works the count, plays the game the way it is supposed to be played and is a defensive plus, plus, plus!  I don’t know how long Logan’s Run will be in LA, but bI would not be surprised to see him back in 2018.  We could do a whole lot worse. He’s been a big part of this incredible run.

Dodger Rants & Raves

• I think Kyle Farmer gives the Dodgers a great amount of flexibility at catcher and all over the infield now.  He may very well stay with the team – I could see it happening unless there is a pitching squeeze.
• Walker Buehler went 5 innings (that’s the limit) and allowed Zero runs on 3 hits to go with 1 BB and 6 K’s.  Stat line: 75 IP/54 H/26 BB/106 K’s 3.11 ERA/1.06 WHIP.  He will be in the Dodger pen soon… if I have anything to say about it!  But I don’t, so there is that!
• Josh Sborz went 8 at AA, giving up 3 hits and 0 ER.  Not too shabby!